The Beast Within the Man
by NoblyDevoted
Summary: Based on the story of Beauty and the Beast. The daughter of a Death Eater must make a deal with the Dark Lord and Professor Snape in order to save her Father’s life.


The Beast Within the Man

**The Beast Within the Man**

**Disclaimer:** I own none of the Harry Potter characters, nor the world in which they live. (Despite how much I wish I did!) Giselle and the plot are mine, but that's it.

**Summary**: Based on the story of Beauty and the Beast. The daughter of a Death Eater must make a deal with the Dark Lord and Professor Snape in order to save her Father's life.

"My Lord, I must protest."

"Oh? Are you not pleased with this offer, Severus? Would you rather not take your rightful payment from, Balvar? How noble. Seems more like a Gryffindor trait, Severus. Has Dumbledore been rubbing off on you?"

"No my Lord! I was merely going to point out that it would not be," he hesitated, "prudent of me to wed a student under Dumbledore's nose."

"Ah, indeed. A valid point. Well, Balvar. It looks like the offer of your daughter will not be accepted. Instead, your life must be forfeit. The Dark Lord does not forgive traitors... Wormtail!" he barked.

"Yes, my-my Lord?" Wormtail stuttered.

"Fetch my wand." Wormtail hastened to obey.

"No, my Lord! Please! I- I did it for my daughter!" Balvar begged.

"You lie, Balvar. I see it in your eyes… You did it for no one but yourself." The Dark Lord hissed.

"Please, my Lord! Please!"

"Crucio!" Balvar began writhing on the floor as his screams echoed off the stone walls. Voldemort began to laugh manically, while Snape remained indifferent. However, a fifth person was in the corridor near the room, unbeknownst to the others. She had her back pressed to the wall. Her hands were in such tight fists, that she was sure she would draw blood. She shut her eyes in an attempt to block out the noise of her father's pain-filled screams.

"Enough!" the screams stopped but she heard her father moan. "Perhaps a few more times before I kill you, Balvar."

"NO!" Giselle foolishly jumped away from her hiding spot and burst into the room, not entirely understanding why she did so. Her father was certainly cruel, but he was still her father nonetheless. "Please! Please don't. I'll… I'll do anything!" Briefly she registered the looks of surprise on the faces of those in the room, before Voldemort's turned to pleasure, and Snape's once again became veiled.

"Yes! She'll take my place!" her father exclaimed. Giselle paled, but she did not deny it.

"Is it true girl? Are you fool enough to take his place?"

Giselle faltered.

"You are!" Voldemort snickered incredulously.

"He's… my father." She tried to justify. Wormtail just remain standing in the corner, his eyes anxiously darting from person to person. Snape remained uninterested, and her father began backing towards the wall with a look of relief on his round face. Only Voldemort appeared excited by this turn of events.

"Very well! This shall be amusing! Torture her a few times, Severus. Then we'll see if she's prepared for death."

"Yes, my Lord." Severus bowed his head to the Dark Lord, revealing no emotion. Slowly, but without hesitation, he raised his wand. "Crucio!" Giselle fell to the floor, her body shaking with convulsions. At first she merely bit her lip to refrain from screaming. However, this strategy did not last long, and eventually she succumbed to screams of agony.

"That will do." Voldemort said with amusement. Snape lowered his wand.

Giselle did not moan or cry as her father had. Nor did she beg them to stop. Instead, she merely lay there, breathing heavily, with her eyes closed and her face contorted in the after effects of the pain she had experienced. She was not helpless, but determined.

"Well, Miss Eglantine… Are you prepared for anther dose? No response…? I'll take that as a yes. Proceed, Severus." Again he tortured her, this time longer than before. At last, the Dark Lord gave her a slight reprieve while me mocked her. Several tears slid down her face, which she furiously wiped away before Snape was ordered to torture her once more. This time, at the conclusion of the curse, she remained pale and shaking. She was breaking. More tears leaked from her eyes, despite her furious attempts to wipe them away.

The Dark Lord did not relent. "I think once more before you admit that what you are doing is foolish. Your family will not help you, and any love you have for your father is a weakness. Look at him! He sits against the wall cowering, and letting his daughter take his plac. You are strong, and would serve as a better Death Eater than your father… You could join us, and take revenge against him," the Dark Lord coaxed. "Your blood is pure, and you are not too young. What year is she in at Hogwarts, Severus?"

"Her 7th."

"That would be an acceptable age to join. Perhaps, we'll torture you once more to help you decide. Severus, again."

"No." Snape's voice was loud and firm. "No," he amended, softer, but still firm. "I believe it would be such a waste to torture this girl, and then kill her if she does not prefer to join." He stepped forward, his black cloak moving with him. "There will be no reward in this for you, or me. Her father," he gestured towards Balvar, "shows no concern over her well-being. He willingly volunteered her to take his place. By torturing her, we are not hurting him. I am not being compensated for his debts, and neither are you."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "And you have an alternative solution? Balvar has nothing to offer, but this wretch of a girl. I admit that I still believe she could be an asset as a member of my Death Eaters, but you will receive nothing from this Severus. Would you rather take Balvar's life? For earlier you objected to his proposition of taking his pureblood daughter as your payment."

Snape paused, but his face revealed no sign of the inner-workings of his mind. "I… have changed my mind. This girl," he approached her but did not touch her, "is not hideous. And I see no benefit for me in taking Balvar's life. Therefore, I have concluded that perhaps his daughter could be my payment."

"In what form do you intend to use her as payment?" Voldemort inquired. "She is a pureblood, and (despite her brainless father) my pureblood rules apply. I cannot condone the defiling of **any** pureblood daughter, especially with so few to go around."

"Of course not. That is why I would prefer to take her as my wife." Giselle gasped, despite the pain racking her body. Black dots decorated her vision as a result of the movement.

"But what of Dumbledore?" Voldemort questioned. "Moments ago you insisted Dumbledore would not approve."

"And nor will he," Snape replied. "However, if I explain that I was obligated as a Death Eater, he'll have no choice."

"Hm…" the Dark Lord mused. "Yes, that would be an acceptable excuse. And I can see why you would want her, but I would hate to lose such a girl from our cause."

"You will not, my Lord. I will train her, and in several years perhaps she will be up to your standards and prepared to join."

"Very well. I will hold you to that, Severus. She will join." His voice made it clear that there would be no debate.

"Yes, my Lord." He bowed his head.

"There, girl." He turned his wand to Giselle and forced her to sit up and face him, "You have determination and courage. More so, than your cowardly father. I will expect you to join our ranks soon. However, your father is a different issue. Balvar is an idiot and a traitor. He shall not go unpunished. The penalty for traitors is death. However, you seem stronger than your father. I will make you this offer. You may trade places with him. And because I'm merciful and you are skilled, I shall not kill you. Instead, you shall pay your father's debt to me by becoming a member of my Death Eaters once you are trained. However, your father is also in debt to Severus Snape. To pay off this debt you must consent to marry him. Your blood is pure, and although Severus has renounced his muggle father, he is still a half-blood. Having you as a wife would enhance Severus's rank in the world. What is your decision?" the Dark Lord demanded.

Giselle averted her eyes from Snape. Instead, she looked straight at the Dark Lord as more tears leaked uncontrollably out of the corners of her eyes, like blood from a wound. Slowly she dropped her head and studied her hands, before raising her eyes once again. "I…" her voice cracked. "I… will."

**Please Review!**

**First fanfic so let me know what you think!**

**I have more to update, but I'm curious what people's reactions will be. **


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